As they say in social media land; there’s the highlight reel and then there’s real life. Happy hens living their best chicken life are no different. You’ve got the highs and the lows. The highs involve lots of yummy eggs, cute pics and funny chicken stories. The lows? Well those are the messy parts. 

Understandably, the addition of chickens to our little backyard farm came with a decent learning curve. Once we accomplished the “hard” work of building the chicken coop or in our case assembling (thanks Roost and Root); it was fairly easy prepping it for ultimate bird happiness. First we spread fresh cedar shavings throughout the coop and sprinkled liberally with diatomaceous earth. Then we filled their feeders with layer feed (our girls love Small Pet Select), added fresh water (premium, backyard hose quality), and were good to go. Once the chicks settled into their new home the real fun began. Which leads us to the messy bits, also filed under the heading of “things I wish I’d known”. 

For those of you considering a foray into the world of daily egg collecting and chicken chasing; here’s a peek behind the scenes with a few quick facts and one very important tip.

FACT #1 - Chickens are messy.

FACT #2 - When it rains, chickens are even more messy.

FACT #3 - Chickens don’t care if they’re a mess, but you will, as soon as you enter the coop.

FINALLY the TIP - invest in a pair of “coop only” boots!

You simply can’t call yourself a chicken mom or dad, until you own a pair of authentic chicken boots. I promise you’ll want a pair of boots that won’t be used for anything else. Because as previously mentioned, chickens are messy. 

This was the perfect opportunity for frivolous fashion, so I went straight for a pair of ultra chic Sloggers. Seriously, how could I resist the excuse to buy bright yellow boots, covered in cute chickens?

My husband, opting for the more modest approach, repurposed a pair of recently retired tennis shoes. Technically his shoes serve the same purpose as my more fashion forward boots, but I have to admit I feel a bit more official going about my coop duties in my waterproof (and chicken-muck proof) wellingtons.

Which brings me to another all important consideration. No matter how cute your boots are make sure to choose a style that’s easily hosed off and quick to dry; ready to return again and again to the proverbial scene of the crime.

I’ll spare you the gory details, but even a clean and well kept coop can get pretty disgusting at times. It’s unfortunate that chickens can’t be potty trained, but even if they could… remember the rain? Of course in the end as any true chicken lover will confess, chickens are worth it.

Just trust me and don’t skimp on the chicken boots.